Slitting attachment for printing-machines.



I. F. NILES.

ATTACHMENT FOR PRINTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED IuLY 25. I916.

SLITTING Patented Fb.11,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET\ A tty I. F. NILES.

SLITTING ATTACHMENT FOR PRINTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FlL'ED JULY 25.1916.

Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET h Inventor. M

A tty msnmmou. m c.

UNIT 1;]?

STATES AE IRVING F. NILES, OF WARREN, OHIO, ,ASSIGNOR TO THE HARRIS AUTOMATIC PRESS COMPANY, OF NILES, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

SLITTING ATTACHMENT FOR- PRINTING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

Application filed July 25, 1916. Serial No. 111,115.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, IRVING F. NILES,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Warren, in the county of Trumbull. and 'State of Ohio, have invented certain new 7 This invention relates to certain improvements in attachments or devices employed to slit or longitudinally divide the sheets of paper stock used in printing machines, as they pass from such machines or presses to be transferred to delivery mechanisms, and the objects of my invention are, among other things, to provide an improved slitting attachment which shall directly cooperate with one of the several disks of an intermediate skeleton delivery cylinder, arranged between the impression cylinder and such delivery mechanisms, whereby such slitting attachment shall be free to perform its slitting function without obstructing the path of the gripper bars, carried by any of the required delivery mechanisms. Atfurther object of my invention is to positively remove the sheet of paper stock from the impression cylinder and retain the leading edge at all times under positive control by means of grippers, until the slitting operation is completed. In the present embodiment shown, this is accomplished by the direct and positive transfer of the sheet to the grippers located on the delivery cylinder, and thence to the grippers on the chain delivery bars traveling at the same speed, during which period my improved slitting attachment will have performed its function in longitudinally dividing the sheets as they pass from the printing machine.

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises the constructions and operating parts forming the slitting attachment herein shown andhereinafter to be described as one embodiment of my invention, such other features being particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate this embodiment of the invention in connection with an off-set printing press, the same serving, in connection with a chain delivery mechanism, to fully explain the invention which is not restricted, however, to

any particular form or type of printing machine or sheet-delivery construction.

Referring to the accompanying draw- 1IlgS,-.-

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a printing machine provided with my improved slitting attachment, the gearsbeing omitted;

Fig. 2 1s an enlarged fragmentary detail plan view of sheet-grippers;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 38 shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of delivery cylinder disks, and also of the slitter disk, showing the construction and arrangement for operating same;

Fig- 5 is a fragmentary detail view illus 'trating the manner of adjustably locating the slitter relatively to the slitter disk; and Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic sectional side view showing a modified arrangementof the slitting attachment relatively to a sheet-delivery mechanism.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several figures.

Referring to Fig. 1, the frame 7 supports the bearings of the form-cylinder 8, the

transfer-cylinder 9, and the impression-cylinder 10, said cylinders being mounted on the shafts 11, 12 and 13 respectively, which are journaled in the frame 7, as shown.

The cylinders are so constructed and arranged in the frame 7 that the transfer-cylinder 9, forming a printing-couple with the impression-cylinder 10, receives its design from the form-cylinder 8; the form, transfer and impression cylinders have each fastened thereto suitable gears whose pitch diameter coincides with the periphery of the respective cylinders.- These gears (not shown) intermesh and form the driving mechanism to secure proper rotation for the respective cylinders, the impression-cylinder 10 rotating in a contra-clockwise direction, as shown'by the arrow in Fig. 1.

14: indicates the skeleton delivery-cylinder, preferably constructed of a plurality of disks 15 of equal diameter with the impression-cylinder 10, each mounted on the collars 16 adjustably secured to the shaft 17, as shown more particularly in Fig. 4, the shaft 17 being journaled in the frame 7. The

skeleton delivery-cylinder let has a suitable gear 18 secured thereto, which intermeshes with the gear on the impression-cylinder 10,

5 at eishaft l -;-l -of;,stock or -sheet gripperscarried by the ,impression cylinder .10,- which are arranged tog successively seize the individual sheets which have been advanced on the fee d table g24 c secured-vto theg frame? The feed-table 24 hasa plurality-of-,transverse feed-rollers 25; j o urnaledy thereto toq advance: the. individual sheets to the impression-cylinder 10 to be.seized bygthe, grippers 23, as has" been described." Since v these are common forms v25 of rintingmachi nery construction, and are we I-known in the art, 'they need not be via r heWn-a r ed.

zrlieferringtog-Fig. AE QG-and 27 indicate two spaced algart -sprocket :wheels mounted ,gsaidwlleels being of slightly i smal ler -diameter than "the disks 15 which constitute the skeleton. delivery-cylinder 14. Traveling beneath, and operated by, the sprocket; wheels 26;. and 2-7 are two spacedapart endlesssprocket ,chains 28 and '29, .whichare anranged to move, with the same peripheral ,speed.,- @185- theperiphery of the cylinder; 14. {Theseeprocket chains. 28 and 29 pass.aroundtwo smaller sprocket wheels -30 and-31arespectively,mounted on atrans- '.verse shaft'SZJ urnaled in the frame 7, as showainiEigsl@Qd. .Thechains28 and 29travel inzthe direction of the arrow shown ,in' Fig. 1. ';It..will;;-be-underst0od that the either side, of the-.wdelivery-cylinder 14c, and I n essar y .m rasimulta eously i h sa direction, and ,at -;the ,'same... speed with. .each -,-other,,-to carryand. transfer the successive 150 ,sshee tsf-romihe cylinder 14, as will be understood by ilqh s f il With P i gv ah rmryi.eoastimet err 'lahesef-chainsQS- an'd; 29 carry ,means for tuansferr n th'eqsheets or stock fromthede c very-cylinde it ,a r me n are a rangedii t epresentembodiment to travel "with the pitch line of,the chains, and there- ..f at the same speed at all times, and also withthegsame.peed as'that of the periph- -.eries of-fthe idi sks 15 comprising thedelivery- .,cyling'il;er 214. In therpresen't. embodiment, the sto'ck engaging means. or sheet-grippers arm-shown :in detail in Figs.- 2; and.- 3. The -particularconstruction of such grippersmay ;q6 ,:be widely'waried. hieferring to fFigs. 2. and

- end of: the. pin 51} to hold the arms in the properly adj ustedv position, as. shown in Figs. 4 and. 5. 54 indicatesja form, of.. stock .or sheet grippers carried on the transverse bar 55 loosely journaledwithin theouter circumference of thedisks 15, as shown in Figsal 3, the grippers comprise a rock-shaft 33 carrying grippers 34 which are normally held in engagement with the oollarss35rsecured "to'the'rod 36 held in close parallelism with the shaft 33. The shaft 33 and rod 36 travel in a different plane from that of the chains 28 and 29, and are mounted thereon so as to be held either inwardly or outwardly disposed from the carrier chains 28 and: 29, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6. The device to accomplish this relationshipcomprises the frame 37 s ecurel y aflixed tothe chains 28 and-29. The grippers 3t are'normally held in engagement. with gthe collars by anspringl38 i attachedito. and wound. around the shaft, 33,,and .fastenedto the frame-37. ,At .one,end,(sh0.wn in each .-;grip,per.,sl1aft 33 carries an arm 39 hearing .on its outer end a frictional roller 4:0 which, upon engagement. withisuitably vlocated cams brother devices arranged on the machine, willlefl'ect the. opening of the grippers 34 at the propertimes and in ,predetermined positions.

Referring particularlyto Figs. Land 1 have here shown my improved stock-slitting attachment to longitudinally .,dit ide the sheets as they'passv around thegdeliverycylinder 14, which attachment shall directly cooperate with the delivery-cylinder intermediate gthe impression-cylinder lOand the chain-delivery (devices; heretofore described.

A s a female member, I utilize anyone ofthe disks 15, in thiscase the disk 4.1, whichhas the cutting groove 42 formedinitsperiphery it is obvious that .other of such disks 15 .may .be utilized,andlocatedand adjusted in various transversepositions on the'shaft 17 to longi-tudinallycut or slit the successive sheets ofstock; in different sizes as .mayQbe a required. The male member comprises, the small diskq 13,having- -the.cutting edge 14:

formed inits periphery to cooperate with v the groove .42, asshown in Fig. .4. .The, disk 43 is adj ustably secured tothe rotatingtrans Verse shaft 145 tocotiperatewith the disk 41; I the shaft, 4:5. is. journaled inv {the rock-arms v4 6. and:17.amounted.ongtheshaftls secured to the frame- 7. T heshaft 17 has secured thereto the gear 19. which enmeshes .with the gearIQO mounted on the shaft45, to secure the prgoperrotation of the disk-F13 in the .di rection- ,of thearrow shown inFig. 1. z-The rock-arms dand l'lareadjusted to move. to

. and from the, disks 15. .ofthe cylinder 14 to make a slitting engagement, the. arm 47 hav- 111g the ,proj ecting pin 51v pasing through. the

curved $1011.52 formed a bracket mounted on the shaft et8,gthe nut 53being used on'the and 4, the grippers 54 being arranged to suecessively seize the leading edge of the indlvidual sheets passing from the impressioncylinder 10, and hold same under positive control during the slitting operation and until the same has been seized by the gripping devices mounted on the chains 28 and 29. The outer end of the bar 55 carries the arm 56 having a frictional roller 57 mounted thereon, which, upon engagement with suitably located cams or other devices arranged on the machine, will efiect the opening of the grippers 54 when required for the proper operation of the apparatus.

It will be noted that a convenient and simple form of slitting attachment has been constructed which is employed in direct cooperation with the delivery-cylinder having delivery disks of the same size as the impression-cylinder, whereby the sheet is longitudinallyslitted while passing at the same speed from the press to the delivery-mechanism with the leading edge of the individual sheets under positive control of the various grippers at all times.

In Fig. 6, I have shown an alternate construction which comprises the interposition of an auxiliary transfer-cylinder between the delivery-cylinder 14 and the chain delivcry mechanisms proper. In the constructions shown in Fig. 1 to 4 inclusive, the individual sheets are transferred from the delivery cylinder 14 to the upper portion of the delivery chains 28 and 29 beneath the printing machine, and these chains in turn transfer the sheets successively to the under portion of a second chain delivery mechanism located immediately above a delivery table (not shown).

In the Fig. 6 construction, the sheets are delivered directly to the final chain delivery, in this case the chains 58, having grippers 34 elevated above the pitch line of such chains, the line of travel of such grippers 34 being shown by the broken line 59. By this form, the intermediate delivery chains arev dispensed with, and the delivery chains 58 carry the sheets to the left and directly depositthe successive sheets on the delivery table. 60 indicates the auxiliary transfercylinder of the same diameter as the cylinder 14, which may be adjustably mounted on the shaft 61 as shown, and is adapted to rotate in a contra-clockwise direction by suitable gears (not shown). This cylinder 60 is so arranged in the frame 7 that its periphery coacts with the peripheries of the disks 15 as well as the line of travel 59, as shown; it carries the grippers 62 suitably mounted in the cylinder 60 and normally held in engagement with the periphery edge 63 of the cylinder 60'by the spring 64 coiled about the rod 65. The grippers 62 open at predetermined times to pass the leading edge of the successive sheets to the grippers 34 by suit able cams operating on an arm (not shown) carried by the shaft 66. In this constructlon the successive sheets are transferred directly from the cylinder 60 to the lower run of the delivery chains 58, since it is preferable that such'sheets be carried on the lower run of the delivery chains prior to their being depos ited on the delivery table.

The operation of the hereinbefore described slitting attachment is substantially as follows ;In the Figs. 1 to 4 construction, the disks 41 and 43 are brought into codperative engagement to slit the sheets in suitable sizes, and are then secured by the rock-arms 46 and 47 being held in proper position. The'individual sheets, after passing from the feed-table 24, are seized by the grippers 23, and are then seized by the grippers 54 and carried in a clockwise direction about the delivery-cylinder 14, during which period the slitting of the sheets is begun by the slitting disks 41 and 43. Then the grippers on the chains 28'and 29 grasp the leading edge of the sheet from the grippers 54 and carry same to the left, the slitting operation being concluded as the sheets are passed along the top of the chains 28 and 29. It will benoted the slitting attachment does not interfere with the path of the gripper bar 55, and that the sheets are always held under positive control until the slitting operation is completed. In the Fig. 6 construction, the operation is substantially the same, the grippers 62 taking the leading edges of the individual sheets from the grippers 54 and passing same at the same speed around the cylinder 60 so that such leading edges may be seized by the grippers 34 traveling in the line 59 to the left to be finally and directly deposited upon a suitable delivery table. In this construction it will be noted that the successive sheets are positively maintained under direct control while the slitting attachment is performing its function in dividing the sheets.

While the construction described embodies the invention in its preferred form, it will be understood that changes and variations may be made therein without departing from the invention. i

It is to be further understood that while constructions embodying the invention are particularly adapted for use in connection with printing machines, they may be employed in other relations.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a rotatable delivery-cylinder to remove stock from the impression cylinder of a printing or like machine, of a delivery mechanism to transfer said stock from said delivery-cylinder, a p08- itively actuated slitting mechanism coacting with said delivery cylinder and arranged wholly between said impression cylinder and said delivery mechanism, means carried bysaid delivery cylinder. and said delivery mechanism to hold said stock under control during the operation of. said slitting mechanism, and meansto actuate said cylinders, said mechanism and said controlling means whereby said stock travels throughoutthe entire slitting operationsat the same speed with said slitting mechanism,

2. The combination with arotatable delivery-cylinderIto,remove stock from the impression cylinder of a printing .or like machine, of a delivery mechanism to transfer said stock from said delivery-cylinder, a positively actuated slitting. mechanism coacting with .said delivery cylinder and. arranged wholly between said impression cylinder and said delivery mechanism, means carried by said. delivery cylinder and said delivery mechanismjtohold said stock under control continuouslyduring the operation of said slittinglmechanism, and means to actuate said cylinders, said mechanisms and said controlling means whereby said stock travels throughout the entireslitting operation at the same speed with said slitting mechani '3'. The combination with a rotatable vdelivery-cylinder-to remove stock from the impression cylinder of aprinting or like machine, of a deliverymechanism to transfer Saidstock'from said delivery-cylinder, a posv itii rely,.,,actuated slitting .mechanism ooacting with said delivery cylinder and are nanged wholly between said impression cylinderand said delivery m'echanism,means carried by, said a delivery cylinder and said delivery mechanism,to hold said stock under positive control continuously during the operation of said slitting mechanism, and means to actuate said cylinders, said mechanisms and said controlling means whereby said stock travels throughout the entireslitting roperationaat the same speed with said slitting mechanism.

. 4. The combination with a'rotatable delivery-cylinder to remove stock from the impression cylinder of a printing or like machine, -of a delivery. mechanism to transrier said ,stock from said delivery-cylinder, a positively actuated slitting mechanism 00- acting with said delivery cylinder and arranged wholly between said impression cylinder and said vdelivery mechanism, means carried by said delivery cylinder and said delivery mechanism to hold the leading edge of said stock under control during the operation ,of saidv slitting mechanism, and means to actuate said cylinders, said mechanisms and. said controlling means wheresaid stocktravels throughout the entire slittin operation v at a the same speed with said sl tting mechanism.

{5; The 'combination with a I rotatable deliveryacylin'der to remove ,stock from the impassesyliad aefa errintieee r like machine, of a delivery, mechanism to transfer said stock from said delivery-cylinder, a positively actuated slitting mechanism coacting with said delivery cylinder and arranged wholly between said impression cylinderand said delivery mechanism, means carried bysaid delivery cylinder andsaid delivery mechanism to hold the leading edge of .said stock under control, continuously during the operation of saidslitting mechanism, and means to actuate said cylinders, said mechanisms and. said controlling means whereby-said stock travels throughout the entire slitting operationiat thesame speed with said slitting 3 mechanism.

6. The combinationwith a .r0.tatable .delivery-cylinder to i remove stock from, the impression cylinder of, aprinting onlike machine, of a delivery mechanism to transfer said stock from said delivery-cylinder, a positively actuatedslittingmechanism coacting with said delivery cylinder and; ar ranged wholly between said impression cylinder and said delivery mechanism, means carried by said delivery cylinder; and said delivery mechanismto holdithe leading edge Of'SZLlCl StOCk under positive control continu- I ously. during the operation of said slitting mechanism, and means to actuate said cylinders, said mechanisms and said 1 controlling means-whereby -said stock travels through- ,out the entire slitting operation atthe same speed with said slitting mechanism.

7. The combination with a rotatable delivery-cylinderto gremove stockdrom the impression cylinder of a printing-or like machine, of a delivery mechanism to,transferlsaidstock from said delivery-cylinder, a positively actuated rotatable slitting edge member transversely adjustable to coact with any part of saidz delivery cylinder and arranged wholly between said impression cylinder and ,said delivery mechanism, means carried by said delivery'cylinder and said delivery mechanism to ,hold said-stock under control during'the operation of said slitting-mechanism, and means to actuate saidwcylinders, said mechanisms and said controlling means whereby said stock travels throughout the entire slitting operation at the samespeedwith said slitting mecha nism. v

' 8.- The combination with a ,rotatable delivery-cylinder ,toqremove stock from the impression cylinder of apri-nting ,or like machine, of adelivery mechanism to transfer said stock from saiddelivery cylinder, a positively actuated rotatableslittin'g edge member transversely. adjustable to coact with any part of said delivery cylinder and arranged wholly a between a said impression cylinder and .said delivery mechanism, means carried by said delivery cylinder and said delivery mechanism to hold said stock under control continuously .duringthe operation of said slitting mechanism, and means to actuate said cylinders, said mechanisms and said controlling means whereby said stock travels throughout the entire slitting operation at the same speed with said slitting mechanism.

9. The combination with a rotatable delivery-cylinder to remove stock from the impression cylinder of a printing or like machine, of a delivery mechanism to transfer said stock from said delivery-cylinder, a positively actuated rotatable slitting edge member transversely adjustable to coact with any part of said delivery cylinder and arranged wholly between said impression cylinder and said delivery mechanism, means carried by said delivery cylinder and said delivery mechanism to hold said stock under positive control continuously during IRVING F. NJLES.

Witnesses C. G. Pnrromnn, f R. A. BREEZE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of intents,

' Washington, D. O." 

